FIFA & CAF: Nigeria loses on all fronts

Nigeria’s Ibrahim Galadima yesterday failed in his bid to get elected into the all-powerful FIFA Executive Committee at the 33rd CAF General Assembly held in Sudan. The country is also without a representative in the Executive Committee of CAF.

Galadima

But Algeria Football Federation president Mohamed Raouraoua got elected onto Fifa’s executive committee.
Raouraoua took one of two places, with Ivorian Federation chief Jacques Anouma retaining his spot.

Raouraoua replaces disgraced Nigerian official Amos Adamu, who Fifa suspended for seeking bribes during the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding contests.

South Africa World Cup organiser Danny Jordaan missed out, gaining only 10 votes in fourth place.

Raouraoua won with 39 votes, while Anouma was re-elected for a second four-year term with 35 after the voting in Sudan.

Suketu Patel of the Seychelles mustered 12 votes to beat Jordaan while Adamu’s replacement, compatriot Ibrahim Galadima, finished last with just five.

All 53 member countries of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) had two votes.

Zambia’s Kalusha Bwalya had withdrawn from the contest earlier in the month but the 1988 African Footballer of the Year still had plenty to celebrate in Khartoum.

The former PSV Eindhoven star took one of six available places on Caf’s executive committee when emerging as a clear leader in the Southern Zone.

Ghanaian FA president Kwesi Nyantakyi was also victorious on Wednesday, as he picked up 34 votes to defeat Beninois rival Anjorin Moucharafou in the Zone West B region.

And former Tanzania captain Leodegar Tenga earned his place when beating Rwandan rival Celestin Musabyimana to take the Central-East Zone’s spot.

Elsewhere, Tunisia’s Tarek Bouchamaoui (Northern Zone), Omari Constant of DR Congo (Central Zone) and Guinean Almamy Kabele Camara (Zone West A) were all elected unopposed.

Galadima thanks Nigerians

Like the sportsman he is, former chairman of the Nigeria Football Association, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima has given kudos to his country men and women for the massive support he received from them despite his failure to secure a seat on the executive committee of CAF.

Soon after the results were made public, a gallant Galadima said, “People said before the vote that we were not going to get more than one vote, but we ended up with five.

“I believe, it was the goodwill of Nigerians and its government that gave us that number of votes, even when we had nobody in the CAF executive Committee. Apart from that we also made new friends of football while old flames were rekindled. We have learn a great deal from this adventure

or misadventure, but we as a nation must be steadfast in our pursuit of truth and global ideals, otherwise this type of thing will continue to happen and it’s not good for a country that brands itself, African giant.”

Galadima, paid glowing tributes to the Nigerian media, declaring it the champion of truth and fairness, and urged other facets of the country to borrow a leaf from the media. “Honestly, if every Nigerian, especially those in authority have supported the cause like the media did, we would made a mark here in Khartoum”.

Galadima has since returned to Nigeria.

Fifa Executive Committee:

Mohamed Raouraoua (Algeria)            —    39 votes
Jacques Anouma (Ivory Coast)           —    35 votes
Suketu Patel (Seychelles)            —   12 votes
Danny Jordann (South Africa)             —   10 votes
Ibrahim Galadima (Nigeria)             —     5 votes
Withdrew — Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia)

Caf Executive Committee

Northern Zone
Tarek Bouchamaoui (Tunisia) _ elected unopposed

Zone West A
Almamy Kabele Camara (Guinea) _ elected unopposed

Zone West B
Kwesi Nyantakyi (Ghana) _ 34 votes
Anjorin Moucharafou (Benin) _ 19 votes
Withdrew — Tata Adaglo Avlessi (Togo), Hima Souley (Niger)

Central Zone
Omari Constant (DR Congo) _ elected unopposed

Central-East Zone
Leodegar Tenga (Tanzania)             —   34 votes
Celestin Musabyimana (Rwanda)     —   19 votes

Southern Zone
Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia)              —   38 votes
Walter Nyamilandu (Malawi)               —     6 votes
John Muinjo (Namibia)              —     5 votes
Adam Mthethwa (Swaziland)               —    3 votes
Withdrew — Justino Fernandes (Angola), Danny Jordaan (South Africa)